Though, the entire affair was organised by the Karnataka Government, all the details were handled by the chief organiser `Wisitex Foundation.' Apparently the Government kept out and there was no one to oversee the work of the chief organising company. ``We forgot how to calculate and how many digits there are in a lakh and how much money the organiser made,'' said one Government official. The Government, in fact, has spent more than Rs 40 lakh to organise the event, he said.

Repeated calls to a five-star hotel where Wisitex had set up its offices for over a month elicited no response. And according to Government officials, the head of Wisitex is in Mumbai and expected to come to Bangalore next week.

As to the amount of money collected, no one is willing to venture any guess. But they do give figures that point to the mega size of themoneys that flowed.

Says a participant: ``Even though the space at ITPL was given at a nominal charge, Wisitex charged us heavily. It ranged from Rs 4 lakh for 50 square feet to Rs 20 lakh for 1500 square feet.''

The gate collection was no chicken-feed either. The number of visitors is reported to have crossed over 2.5 lakh. Each ticket was sold for Rs 25 while passes were sold for Rs 10 each. Even business visitors were not spared. However, the organisers said that only 25 per cent of visitors paid the entrance fee. No clarification on this was available.

``Just before the close of the show we were asked to shell out extra money amounting to as much as Rs 14,000 for lamps and bulb fittings and connections even though we had not asked for it,'' said another participant.

It's only now, a week after the event that co-sponsors and participants have begun to protest about the organiser. ``What are their credentials, on what basis was this company selected. Don't we have anyone in the city to handle suchan event,'' asked one co-sponsor.

The first rumble has come from the President of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry K Lakshman. ``I have been vocal in all these meetings. As a result I was totally kept out of all decisions even as far back as one month before the event.''

``Even the passes for the main function were not given to us. We did not go begging for passes, but we just barged in,'' said Lakshman.

Most participants who rented space at the venue are bitter. After having invested huge sums of money, they claim they were not provided even water at the venue. They had to shell out Rs 15 for every bottle of water they bought. The snacks provided at the venue were charged exorbitant rates. Sandwiches sold for Rs 15 to Rs 20 for two slices and samosas Rs 30. In fact, one participant said it was more than the rates charged at the hotel which had put up the stall.